Foley coy on Woods

Latest News

TIM MCKAY, QMI AGENCY

Sean Foley doesn't know how it started, but his future certainly is a hot topic in golf right now.

Foley has been rumoured to be the next swing coach for Tiger Woods, who recently was set free by Hank Haney.

Pretty heady stuff for a 35-year-old Canadian who has been working with PGA Tour players for four years after Stephen Ames brought him on board.

So the burning question remains: Is Foley set to take on the world's best golfer as a client? Not that he knows of.

Would he take on Woods if given the opportunity? Maybe...

"It's just all rumours," Foley said Wednesday morning from Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Tex., where he was keeping a close eye on the four players he coaches (Ames, Hunter Mahan, Sean O'Hair and Justin Rose) in the field at the Crowne Plaza Invitational.

"I don't know how (the Tiger rumours) all got started. I have my hands pretty full as is."

Ever since the Burlington, Ont., native walked a practice round with Woods at The Players Championship (Mahan and O'Hair also were in the group), Foley has been fielding questions about working with Tiger.

Despite reports, Foley said there has been "no discussion at all," with Tiger or his handlers.

One would think that the cerebral teacher, who works out of the Core Golf Junior Academy in Orlando and lives not too far from Woods, would be bothered by the constant badgering, but Foley finds it humorous.

"It has been kind of funny. One article was saying that it's amazing that I've gotten to where I am because I am bipolar," said Foley, who is not bipolar. "You wonder where they come up with this stuff. People read it and believe it. Someone is going to come up to me at a tournament or in an airport and say, 'My brother is bipolar too!' "

It is no mistake, however, that a relative newcomer is being touted as one of the great coaches in the game.

Foley's success speaks for itself and in a world where golfers change putters, grips, breakfast cereals or coaches if they think it's going to help, results are everything.

"It's my fourth year out here and the players take notice," Foley said. "I'm not surprised. I'm very confident in what I do."

Foley, however, did not completely dismiss the possibility of working with Woods.

"I don't know," he said when asked what his answer would be if Woods called him up and asked him to be his coach. "I don't think about it until I'm actually asked."

For this week, at least, he'll be focused on his players at Colonial.

When asked who he likes to win, Foley wisely kept his cards close to his vest regarding his players.

"I think they're all playing well and they are all capable of being in the top-15 if they're able to stay focused."

With that type of poise, Foley just may land himself the top prize in the swing-coaching business.

LEGGATT PUTTS OUT

Ian Leggatt, a one-time winner on the PGA Tour, has called it quits.

Struggling on the Nationwide and PGA Tour in the past couple of seasons, the Cambridge, Ont., native told Bob Weeks of SCOREGolf magazine that it was time to retire.

Leggatt is best known for his win at the 2002 Tucson Open and also for his charity work.

OPEN AND SHUT Stephen Ames failed to earn a berth in the British Open during final qualifying Monday in Plano, Tex.